Tahirih Houston signed a lease and moved into rented office space in the Galleria neighborhood of Houston in June to accommodate its growth.
The new office is located at 1717 St. James Place, Suite 320, Houston, TX 77056. Staff can be reached by phone at 713-496-0100 or by fax at 713-481-1793.
Tahirih made the move into a larger space with the help of many individuals and companies—all of whom generously donated their services and helped secure office furniture for the new space. Tahirih Houston would like to thank:
- Realtor Lynette Lew
- Gary Greene of Prudential
- James Stone of J. Stone Construction
- Jones Day
- Shell Oil Company
- Advisory Council of Houston Member Mitch Gibbons
Tahirih Houston is deeply grateful to St. Joseph Medical Center, Akin Gump LLP, Houston Advisory Council Member Marty McVey, President of McVey & Associates LLC, and Houston Advisory Council Member Chris LaFollette for their support and the donation of office space that incubated Tahirih’s Houston office through its formative 18 months in the community. The office opened in 2009.
An open house to introduce the community to Tahirih’s new space will be held from 7:30-9:30 a.m., Nov. 17, 2011.
In other news from Houston:
Two Fellows Will Join Tahirih’s Team
Tahirih Houston is pleased to welcome two new legal fellows: Robine Morrison, a Winston & Strawn Law Fellow, and Jessica L. Howton, a Notre Dame Fellow.
Robine Morrison, a graduate of the University of Illinois College of Law and a Houston native, is working as a full-time Winston & Strawn Law Fellow at Tahirih assisting our Immigration Law Pro Bono Project during the fall of 2011. She is a part of Winston & Strawn’s recently created fellowship program intended to develop the skills of incoming associates and encourage their participation in public interest work while assisting local legal aid groups.
Jessica L. Howton will be the beneficiary of the new, highly competitive Notre Dame Fellows program “designed to help launch long-term public service careers for Notre Dame Law School graduates who have the potential to make a difference in their communities.” Beginning Dec. 15, Howton will spend her two-year fellowship working as an immigration staff attorney in Tahirih’s Houston office, providing direct representation to immigrant and refugee women and girls fleeing violence. She will also be updating materials for the pro bono attorneys who volunteer their expertise in the representation of Tahirih’s clients and improving educational outreach programs for local immigrant communities. In her application for the position, Jessica stated, “The women and girls that my proposed [fellowship] project will serve comprise one of the most vulnerable groups in our society. My project would allow me to use my Notre Dame education to be their voice and promote their human dignity against the discrimination, violence, and ignorance they currently struggle against.”
Events Show Community Support for Tahirih Houston
The Houston community recently hosted two events to support Tahirih Justice Center and raise local awareness about immigrant women and girls who need legal protection from violence.
Houston Director Anne Chandler presented a Continuing Legal Education reception sharing information with the legal committee on the issues of human trafficking in Houston and the need for legal services for immigrant women and girls fleeing violence on June 30, 2011. Nearly 100 Tahirih clients, pro bono attorneys, and friends attended. The evening was hosted by Texas Women Lawyers and the law firm of Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Sorrels, Agosto & Friend.
Board of Directors’ member Kelley Jennings generously hosted an event at the Houston Club introducing the Legal Subcommittee of the Tahirih Justice Center’s Advisory Council of Houston July 12, 2011. Remarks were provided by Advisory Council of Houston members and Legal Subcommittee Co-Chairs Mitch Gibbons (Jones Day) and Lydia Protopapas (Weil, Gotshal, & Manges). Local firms and corporations, including representatives of Jones Day; Marathon Oil; Mayer Brown; Skadden; Vinson & Elkins; Watt Beckworth Thompson Henneman & Sullivan LLP; Weil, Gotshal & Manges; and Winston & Strawn attended the event.
